Garment drier



Sept. 2, 1969 R. E. CHEZUM GARMENT DRIER Filed Oct. 11, 1968 FIG..?) I

INVENTOR ROGENE E. CHEZUM ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,464,604 GARMENT DRIER Rogeue E. Chezum, 851 N. Mariposa Ave., Apt. 3, Los Angeles, Calif. 90027 Filed Oct. 11, 1968, Ser. No. 766,895 Int. Cl. A41h 5/00; A47j 51/10 U.S. Cl. 223--69 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An expandable and adjustable drying form for girdles and similar garments. A pair of extendable shaped ribs are mounted on either side of a central staff. Each rib is mounted by a pair of lever arms, one pivotally connected near the bottom of the staff and the other pivotally connected to a collar slidably mounted near the top of the staff. The top end of the staff is threaded along a length to permit variable positioning of a threaded knob in order to adjust the position of the collar and the size of the extended form.

This invention relates to new and improved adjustable drying forms for drying girdles and similar garments of variable size to prevent stretching or shrinkage during drying.

In U.S. Patent No. 2,509,723, issued to the present inventor, an adjustable drying form with expandable shaped ribs is disclosed. The ribs extend for a central staff and are linked to a collar axially enclosing and slidable relative to the lower end of the staff. The form is adjusted to variable size by means of notches along the lower end of the staff and a notch-engaging spring attached to the sliding collar. This drying form, however, requires manual engagement and disengagement of the spring and notch. The notch and spring arrangement prevent fine adjustment of the size of the drier form. Furthermore, the drier form cannot be used with panty girdles which cover the bottom of the form.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable drying form to prevent shrinkage or stretching of garments during drying, which permits fine adjustment to variable sizes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable drying form which may be easily and conveniently adjusted to variable size from the top of the form.

In order to accomplish these results, the present invention contemplates providing a drying form having a pair of expandable shaped ribs extending from either side of a central staff. Each rib is mounted to the staff by means of a pair of lever arms, one pivotally connected to the lower end of the central staff and the other pivotally connected to a collar axially enclosing and slidable relative to the upper end of the staff.

According to the invention, the upper end of the staff is threaded throughout a length for variable positioning of a threaded knob on the staff above the sliding collar. The knob is positioned along the threads of the upper end of the staff by rotation to constrain the collar and provide the desired drying form size. The threads on the staff permit fine adjustment to the desired size. Furthermore, the knob is conveniently located at the top of the staff and easily rotated for variable positioning along the length of the thread.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of an expanded drying form embodying the present invention.

3,464,604 Patented Sept. 2, 1969 FIGURE 2 is a side view of the drying form in collapsed condition.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of one of the ribs of the form in the direction of the arrows on line 33 of FIGURE 1.

In the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, the adjustable drying form 10 includes a central staff 11 and a pair of expandable shaped ribs 12 and 13 mounted on either side of the central staff 11. Each'of the shaped ribs 12 and 13 is mounted on the central staff by a pair of lever arms 14 and 15, and 16 and 17, respectively. Lever arm 14 is pivotally connected at one end to the top of rib 12 and at its other end to the lower portion of central staff 11 by means of pins 20 and 21. Lever arm 15 is pivotally connected at one end to the lower portion of rib 12 and at its other end to a collar at the upper portion of staff 11 by means of pins 23 and 24, respectively. Lever arms 16 and 17 are connected between rib 13 and the staff 11 in the same manner as lever arms 15 and 14, respectively.

Collar 22 axially encloses the central staff 11 and is mounted to slide along the upper portion of the staff. Motion of collar 22 along the central staff extends and retracts the lever arms 14 and 15 thereby expanding and contracting the shaped ribs 12 and 13 to provide a drying form of variable size. To this end, the lever arms 14 and 15 and 16 and 17 are slidably joined together 'by pins 25 and 26, respectively, Pins 25 and 26 are mounted on lever arms 15 and 16, respectively, and slidably engage the lever .arms 14 and 17, respectively, through slots 27 nd 28, to permit sliding engagement between the lever arms during extension and retraction. Al ternatively, the lever arms can be rigidly pivotally connected to each other and slots provided along the lower portions of the ribs 12 and 13 respectively, to permit sliding engagement between lever arms 15 and 16 and ribs 12 and 13, respectively.

Along the upper portion of staff 11, threads 30 are provided throughout a length suflicient to provide the desired range of size upon positioning the collar 22 at points along the threads 30 by means of a knurled knob 31 with internal threads formed to engage the threads 30 of the staff 11. The knob 31 can be positioned along the threads 30 by rotation to provide precise and accurate size variations in the drying form. The drying form is shown in expanded and collapsed conditions in FIGURES 1 and 2, respectively, with the knob 31 approximately positioned by rotation along the threads 30'.

In operating the drying form, it is apparent that the collapsed form is inserted in the garment to be dried and expanded by rotating the knurled knob to the position which provides the desired size.

Ribs 12 and 13 are contoured along the longitudinal direction to maintain the appropriate shape of the article fitted over the form. To this end, the ribs are also shaped in cross-section as shown in FIGURE 3. The rib 13 includes a flat curved outer edge 35 against which the garment to be dried is held under tension. Extending inwardly from the curved outer portion 35 is an extension 36 to which the lever arms are pivotally connected, The rib in cross-section thus is generally a T shape with a curved top.

The parts of the form may be made from plastic, metal or other suitable material and the top of staff 11 formed with a hook 40 for hanging and drying.

I claim:

1. A drying form comprising:

a central staff, a collar slidably mounted on said staff for movement axially along the upper portion of said staff, a pair of contoured ribs positioned on opposite sides of the central staff, each said rib mounted on the staff by a pair of lever arms, one lever arm of each pair pivotally connected at one end to the top of the rib and at the other end to the lower portion ,of the central staff, and the other lever .arm of each pair pivotally connected at one end to the lower portion of the rib and at its other end to the collar slidably mounted on the central staff, said central staff threaded throughout a length of the upper portion of said staff, and an annular knurled knob having internal theads engaging the threads formed on the central staff, said knob positionable along the threads by rotation to retain the slidable collar at desired positions along the threads to thereby adjust the size of the drying form.

site sides of the central staff, each said rib mounted on the staff by a pair of pivotally connected lever arms, one lever arm of each pair pivotally connected to said collar whereby said lever arms and ribs are laterally extendable and retractable on movement of the collar, said central staff having threads formed therearound along a length of the upper portion of said staff and threaded stop means positionable along the threads on said staff above the collar to thereby retain the collar at the desired position along the threads.

References Cited 2. A drying form as set forth in claim 1, wherein UNITED STATES PATENTS each said contoured rib is of generally T shape in cross 15 section, wherein the top of the T is rounded and faces 1165093 12/1915 Hammack 223-63 0 2,004,848 6/1935 Bond et al 22363 outward from the dryin form. 2 5 2 Adryingform comprising: 09,7 3 5/1950 Chezum 22369 a central staff, a collar sliclably mounted on said staff for movement axially along the upper portion of said staff, a pair of contoured ribs positioned on oppo- MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner GEORGE V, LARKIN, Assistant Examiner 

